Aberdeen processor goes in liquidation

Aberdeen Scotch Meat has been put into liquidation. The company, based in Inverurie, supplies meat to the catering trade, but has been badly hit by the recession. In particular, the collapse of the Swallow hotel chain left the business with a bad debt of £330,000, leading to the liquidation and the loss of 34 jobs.

The company is a subsidiary of the £30m-turnover Mathers Group, which had bought Aberdeen Scotch Meat out of receivership nine years ago.

Ken Pattullo and Scott McGregor, of Aberdeen-based Begbies Traynor, have been appointed joint liquidators. Pattullo said: “The decision by Mathers to put this subsidiary into liquidation was a painful one, because of the loss of jobs involved. It was, however, left with little alternative when faced with the recession over the past year and the previous bad debt of £330,000, following the Swallow hotel group going into administration.”

“It is a reflection of continuing problems in the economy and it is these which ultimately led to Aberdeen Scotch Meat being left with this bad debt.”

Michael Mountford, Mathers managing director, said the parent company will continue to trade and expressed his regret over Aberdeen Scotch Meat. He said: “It is important to stress that Mathers is a highly successful company and this has been a reluctant and sad decision, but has been taken to ensure the continued successful trading of the group as a whole.”